Arrangement for opening and closing tapholes of metallurgical furnaces

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING TAPHOLES OF METALLURGICAL FURNACES, PARTICULARLY ROTATABLE HEARTH FURNACES AND FURNACES HAVING PLURAL TAPHOLES, INCLUDES A CARRIAGE OR TROLLEY, A TRACK SUPPORTING THE CARRIAGE OR TROLLEY, AND A TAPHOLE DRILLING MACHINE AND A TAPHOLE PLUGGING MACHINE SUPPORTED IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION ON THE CARRIAGE OR TROLLEY. THE TRACKS RUN AT A UNIFORM SPACING FROM THE WALL OF A FURNACE, AND A CENTERING ARM ON THE APPARATUS COOPERATES WITH GUIDES ON THE FURNACE, ONE ADJACENT EACH TAPHOLE, FOR PROPER LOCATION OF THE TAPHOLE DRILLING MACHINE AND THE TAPHOLE PLUGGING MACHINE. THE TRACKS MAY BE EITHER OVERHEAD TRACKS OR MAY BE GROUND SUPPORTED TRACKS. THE APPARATUS INCLUDES VARIOUS ARRANGE-   MENTS FOR SUPPLYING ELECTRIC AND FLUID POWER TO THE MACHINES FROM STATIONARY SOURCES THEREOF.

June 6, 1972 H. mr-:NENTHAL ErAL 3,667,748

AUHANMNT FUI( OLNIN ANU ULJUSNG 'I'AIHOLL OF METLLURGICAL FURNACS lLed Feb. 1J, 1970 8 Sheets-Sham 1 ii D.

FIG. 2

/N VEN TOR HERBERT lne uenhm. BY Nimm zmne'nnauw I C M/v )2m mrokwsys June 6, 1972 H. DIENENTHAL ETAL 3,667,748

AHHANUUMENT FOI( Ol'lL'NlNG ANI) CLOSING TA'HOQS OF METALLURGICAL FURNACES 8 Sheets-Sheet l".

Filed Feb. l5, 1970 INVENTOR HEBERT mansmnm. rnEonmz zmnenhnmu BY MCAJTf/vu June 6, 1972 H. DIENENTHAL ETAL 3,667,748

AHHNGEMENT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING TAHIOLAJJS OF METALLURGICAL FURNACES Filed Feb. l5, 1970 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l l i l FIG. 7

` /NVEN TOR visum' meuemum.

June 6, 1972 H, D|ENENTHAL ETAL 3,667,748

ARRANGEMENT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING TAFHOLISS OF' METALLURGICAL FURNACES FlLed Feb. l5, 1970 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR HERBERT EIENENnm.

BY THFUM IIHHHHNN (jl x TURA- :mamey:

H. DIENENTHAL ET AL 3,667,748

`lune 6, 1972 ARRANGEMENT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING TAPHOLLS OF METALLURGICAL FURNACES 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. l5, 1970 W d F169 INVENTOR HEMERT blENENTnnL By Tusobok Lmneilhnuv nTro'n N e ys June 6, 1972 H D|ENENTHAL ETAL 3,667,748

ARRANGEMENT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING TAPHOLILS OF' METALLURGIGAL FURNACES ined Feb. l5, 1970 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 /NVENTOR HEREERT MSNENTHRL BY TNEonvR zlhnmww `une 6, 1972 H. Du-:Nl-:NTHAL ETAL 3,667,748

ARRANGEMENT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING TAPHOLL'JS Filed Feb. 13, 1970 OF METALLURGICAL FURNACES 8 Sheets-Sheet B FIG. 15

/N VEN TOR HERBERT mausuvhm,

FTITD'RNEYS United States Patent 3,667,748 ARRANGEMENT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING TAPHOLES OF METALLURGICAL FURNACES Herbert Dienenthal, Obersdorf-Rodgen, and Theodor Zimmermann, Siegen im Westphalia, Germany, assignors to Dango & Dienenthal Kommanditgesellschaft, Siegen im Westphalia, Germany Filed Feb. 13, 1970, Ser. No. 11,117 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 25, 1969, P 19 09 326.6 Int. Cl. C21b 7/12 U.S. Cl. 266-42 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for opening and closing tapholes of metallurgical furnaces, particularly rotatable hearth furnaces and furnaces having plural tapholes, includes a carriage or trolley, a track supporting the carriage or trolley, and a taphole drilling machine and a taphole plugging machine supported in side by side relation on the carriage or trolley. The tracks run at a uniform spacing from the wall of a furnace, and a centering arm on the apparatus cooperates with guides on the furnace, one adjacent each taphole, for proper location of the taphole drilling machine and the taphole plugging machine. The tracks may be either overhead tracks or may be ground supported tracks. The apparatus includes various arrangements for supplying electric and fluid power to the machines from stationary sources thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Known arrangements for opening and closing tapholes of metallurgical furnaces comprise taphole plugging machines or taphole drilling machines which are suspended from a boom and can be rotated about a horizontal axis. In German Pat. 1,162,856, for example, there is described a taphole plugging machine whose plugging gun is supported by a boom rotatable about a column standing next to the runner, and the gun can be rotated in two planes. The plugging gun is rotatably mounted in a forked portion of a shaft which, in turn, is rotatably supported in the horizontal boom.

It is also known to arrange, at the free end of a horizontal boom rotatable about a support column, a drilling carriage which can be swung in the vertical plane and which supports a drilling tool for opening a taphole. Also, there are known plugging machines in which the plugging gun can be run toward the taphole and away from it on a track located above the runner and which is inclined upwardly.

However, the above described arrangements can be used only with furnaces in which the taphole is located always at the same point. Therefore, these known machines are not suited for furnaces having rotatable hearths, for example, where the taphole travels, or for furnaces with several tapholes. Nevertheless, such furnaces are used increasingly in modern practice. With such a furnace, a known taphole plugging and drilling machine would have to be attached to the furnace casing and rotate together with the furnace, while furnaces having several tapholes, for example, three tapholes, would require several taphole plugging and drilling machines. The expenditure involved therefore is very large and the irnpediment to operations, in the case of furnaces having two or more tapholes, is especially great, as a corresponding number of taphole plugging and drilling machines must be provided on the tapping platform. In addition to high expenses for structural parts, known machines also require a great deal of space, so that a substantial part of the tapping platform is no longer accessible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to arrangements for opening and closing tapholes of metallurgical furnaces, particularly furnaces with rotatable hearths of furnaces with several tapholes, such as, for example, electric reduction furnaces, hearth furnaces, copper furnaces and also large blast furnaces. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a novel arrangement of this type which is usable with a furnace which has several tapholes, with furnaces in which the tapholes are movable, and with furnaces having various planar configurations, such as circular or rectangular.

The objective of the present invention is to eliminate drawbacks connected with the requirement for a separate taphole plugging and drilling machine for each taphole and, in particular, to provide an arrangement for opening and closing tapholes which is distinguished by a small space requirement and which is usable with a rotatable hearth furnace. In accordance with the invention, this objective is accomplished in that the device is no longer stationarily positioned, but can be moved into operative relation with each taphole.

The arrangement advantageously comprises a plugging gun and a drilling machine, which are parallel to each other and both of which point toward the furnace. Both the plugging gun and the drilling machine are mounted, in a vertically adjustable manner, on a trolley or carriage and can be moved radially toward the furnace. In this manner, the taphole of a rotatable furnace hearth, or several tapholes of a furnace, can be opened and closed by means of a single taphole plugging and drilling machine. The invention arrangement can be brought readily and conveniently to the respective point of use, i.e., to that point where a taphole either must be drilled or plugged. By moving the arrangement, it would be possible, in principle, to service one or more tapholes of two adjacent furnaces.

Under the assumption that a separate taphole plugging and drilling machine is assigned to each furnace, there exists the further possibility of bringing the -machine of one furnace temporarily to an adjacent furnace as a replacement in the event of failure of a taphole plugging and drilling. machine at the adjacent furnace. Due to the mobility of the arrangement, there is attained an important advantage in that the arrangement, when not in use, can be moved to a rest position remote from the taphole and can be inspected and maintained at this rest position.

Thus, the work space around the taphole can be kept clear.

Although, in principle, it is possible to run the arrangement radially with respect to the individual tapholes, using several tracks each respective to a different taphole, with the tracks being connected with each other by switches, it is more practical that the arrangement runs laterally with respect to the tapholes at a uniform distance from the furnace. In the case of a cylindrical furnace, the arrangement is then run around the furnace in a concentric circle or sector while, in the cse of a furnace with a rectangular horizontal cross section, the arrangement is run parallel to a furnace wall.

A particular space saving arrangement, which does not impede operations on the furnace platform, results if, in accordance with the further feature of the invention, the arrangement is mounted on a trolley which is movable on overhead rails or on an overhead track.

In order to insure accurate alignment of the arrangement with a taphole which is to be opened or closed, the plugging gun may have attached thereto a centering arm cooperable with a guide on the furnace adjacent each taphole.

Furthermore, to prevent the tracks supporting the trolley from overheating as a result of the heat radiated from each tapping, these tracks can be made hollow and coolant can be circulated through the tracks.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement for opening and closing the tapholes of metallurgical furnaces either having a movable taphole or having two or more tapholes.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement which requires only a small space and which is usable with a furnace having a rotatable hearth.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement including a taphole plugging gun and a taphole drilling machine mounted in side -by side relation on a trolley or carriage which is movable on tracks parallel to a wall of a furnace.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an. arrangement including a centering arm cooperable with guides, each adjacent a respective taphole, for accurately aligning the arrangement with a taphole.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an arrangement embodying the invention, illustrating the plugging gun in its operating position relative to a furnace shown in part and in section;

FIG. 2 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the taphole drilling machine;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the invention arrangement as applied to a cylindrical furnace having three tapholes; i

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the arrangement as applied to a furnace having a rectangular hearth area;

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. l, in which the supporting tracks for the trolley or carriage are mounted on the oor;

FIG. -6 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a modilied design of the support of the plugging gun, for use with a large blast furnace;

FIG. 7 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 6, illustrating the corerspondingly modified suspension for the taphole drilling machine;

FIG. 8 is a partial plan view, partially in section, corresponding to the arrangement shown in FIGS. y6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a view of a taphole plugging machine shown in FIG. l, with a cable drag chain for the power supply cable of the machine;

FIG. 10 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the cable drag chain support, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. l2 is a side view of the taphole plugging machine, illustrating the power supply cables as laid in scissorfashion;

FIG. 13 is a plan view, partly in section, corresponding to FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is an elevation view, partly in section, illustrating a further modiiied design of the laying of the power supply cable, and

FIG. 15 is a plan view, partly in section, corresponding to FIG. 14.

DESCRIPTION 0F THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The taphole plugging and drilling arrangement or apparatus embodying the invention comprises a plugging machine 5, shown in greater detail in FIG. 1, and a drilling machine 6, shown in FIG. 2. Plugging machine 5 serves 4 y to close taphole 7 of a furnace 8, while taphole 7 can be opened by means of the drilling machine 6. In order to close tapholes 7 located within the range of each runner 9, taphole plugging machine 5 has a plugging gun 11 which is suspended by rods 12 and 13 from a frame 14, for vertical adjustment. Frame 14 is supported, for horizontal movement, by means of rollers 15 in the tracks 16 of a trolley 17. f

For driving plugging gun 11, there is a cylinder-piston unit 18 operable to displace gun 11 into the plugging -position, shown in solid lines in FIG. l, and into the rest position, shown with dot and dash lines in FIG. l. At the front end of plugging gun 11, there is a centering arm 19 which is engaged, when plugging gun 11 is advanced toward a taphole 7, into a guide 21 secured on furnace 8 above the taphole, so that mouthpiece 22 of plugging gun 11 lines up exactly with taphole opening 7.

Trolley 17 is provided with upper and lower support rollers 23 and 24 supporting the trolley on tracks or rails 25 and 26. In order to avoid excessive heating, tracks 25 and 26 are made hollow and a coolant is circulated through the tracks. The tracks are attached to brackets 27 and 28 which, in turn, are fastened to a support plate 29 of furnace 8.

Drilling machine 6, shown in FIG. 2, is mounted on trolley 17 in parallel juxtaposed relation to plugging gun 11. Machine '6 essentially comprises a drilling carriage 31 in which a drill hammer 32, with the drilling rod 33, is movably supported. A feed motor 34 serves for advancing and retracting drilling rod 33 along the taphole axis. FIG. 2 illustrates drilling rod 33 in the operating position in dash-dot lines. Drilling carriage 31, which is swingable afbout a pin 35, can be adjusted, by means of adjusting screw 36, for the drilling angle required in each case. A drive motor 37 and a gear box 39 are secured on the top side of trolley 17, and serve as the travel drive for the trolley which carries the taphole plugging machine 5 as well as the taphole drilling machine 6.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, three mutually spaced tapholes 7 of a cylindrical furnace 8 are to be drilled open or to be plugged closed by means of the arrangement embodying the invention. In order to drill open the right-hand taphole, for example, the arrangement or apparatus of the invention is run into the position shown in FIG. 3 by the dash-dot lines, on tracks 25, 26 which are concentric with respect to furnace 8. In this position, drilling carriage 31 is positioned in front of taphole 7, so that the latter can be drilled open in the well known manner. While drilling open taphole 7, the apparatus, of the trolley 17, or both, are locked in position. This is accomplished by engaging centering arm 19, attached to the front part of plugging gun 11, in a second guide 39 also attached to furnace 8 and spaced a predetermined distance angularly from guide 21. The angular spacing between guides 21 and 39 corresponds to the distance between the mouth piece 22, of plugging gun 11, and drilling rod 33, of drilling machine 6. In the same manner as described, the center and the left-hand taphole 7 of circular furnace 8 also can be drilled open and,

for this purpose, the apparatus is moved along tracks 25 and 26.

For the center taphole 7, FIG. 3 illustrates the plugging machine 5 in its operating position. In this case, drilling carriage 31 is retracted while plugging machine 5, with the mouth piece 22 of its plugging gun 11, is directed toward the center tabhope 7. Alignment of plugging gun 11 with the center taphole 7 is attained by centering arm 19 which, in the plugging position of plugging gun 11, extends into guide 21.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 4, the furnace 8' has a rectangular hearth so that, in accordance therewith, tracks 25 and 26 do not run in a circle but extend parallel with the wall of the furnace. Otherwise, the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 is constructed in the same manner as that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The position shown by the dash-dot lines thus indicates the drilling position for right-hand taphole 7, while the position shown by solid lines shows the plugging position for center taphole 7.

Contrary to the illustration in FIGS. 3 and 4, tracks 25 and 26 can be extended laterally in such a manner that, after drilling open a taphole or plugging a taphole, trolley 17, with the two machines 5 and 6, can be run away from the area of the tapholes 7 and into a rest position remote from the latter. Tracks 25 and 26 are also located suficiently high that, in the rest position of trolley 17, there is no impediment of any kind with respect to operations on the furnace platform and at the runner 9.

Compressed air drives are particularly suited for driving the machines 5 and 6, but hydraulic or electric drives also can be used. Control of the drives is effected, in practice, by remote control. In the case of compressed air operation, magnetic valves advantageously are used, as these require only a single main compressed air line. The remote control of the magnetic valves is attained by means of electric switches.

Within the scope of the invention, it is possible to lock trolley 17 by a latch which engages with a recess arranged next to the track, instead of utilizing the second guide 39 for the centering arm 19.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 5 corresponds essentially to the arrangements shown in 'FIGS 1 through 4, the only difference being that the machines 5 and 6 instead of being suspended on overhead tracks are supported on floor tracks 42 and 43 installed on the floor of the plant 41. In this case, the trolley 17, illustrated in FIGS. l through 4, is designed as a truck in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5. However, the manner ot operation is the same as in the previously mentioned arrangements.

FIGS. 6, 7 and S illustrate a combined taphole plugging and taphole drilling machine for use in blast furnaces. As such blast furnaces have a long, radially oriented steel runner 9, machines l5 and 6 must be placed in an inclined operating position, for drilling open and plugging closed the taphole 7 inthe blast furnace. During the movement of trolley 17 on tracks 25 and 26, secured on support plate 29, however, plugging gun 11, as well as drilling carriage 31, are always in a horizontal orientation as is indicated by the dash-dot lines of FIGS. 6 and 7. In order to swing the plugging gun 11 from the horizontal travel position into the inclined operating position, shown =by solid lines in FIG. 6, a positioning cylinder 44 is used and has a piston rod 40 engaged with trolley 17. Plugging gun 11 is carried by trolley 17 through a parallelogram linkage comprising a guide lever 45 hinged to trolley 17 and plugging gun 11, as well as a double lever 47 hinged to plugging gun 11 and positioning cylinder 44. Double lever 47 is rotatably supported on a shaft 46 xedly secured to trolley 17. To plug a taphole 7, positioning cylinder 44 swings plugging gun 11 into the inclined operating position through the medium of double lever 47 and guide lever 45, and presses mouth piece 22 of plugging gun 11 firmly against taphole 7 of the furnace.

Drilling carriage 31 is rotated from the horizontal travel position into the inclined position, shown by solid lines in FIG. 7, by a hydraulic cylinder supported in a gusset plate 48 of trolley 17 and which, when supplied with suitable pressure, can swing drilling carriage 31 about xed shaft 51. In the inclined operating position of drilling carriage 31, taphole 7 in the furnace then can be drilled open by means of drill 33. As may be observed from FIG. 8, the travel drive of trolley 17, carrying plugging gun 11 and drilling carriage 31, corresponds to the travel drive of the trolley shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

LDue to the travel motion of machines 5 and 6 on tracks 25', 26 and 42, 43, respectively, laying of the power supply cables of the machine, for example the electrical cables and the compressed air lines for the travel drive, causes particular diiculties. These lines and cables must not be subjected to the heat of the discharging metal, as they 6 would then be damaged within a relatively short time. In order to avoid damage to the cables, the power supply cables must be kept away from the discharging metal as far as possible.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate an arrangement for protecting the cables against heat influences by means of a cable drag chain 52. Chain 52 is laid out, in loop fashion, in a bracket guide attached to the outside of outer bracket 27. The bracket guide comprises a lower bracket 53I and an upper cover 54. As can be seen especially from FIG. ll, drag chain 52 has vertically arranged support rollers 55 and horizontally oriented lateral guide rollers V56. By means of these rollers, and the cable drag chain 52 there are properly supported larger and smaller receiving openings 57 and 58 for attachment of power supply cables of which, for example, the supply hose 59 is shown. In the smaller upper holes 57 there can be laid, in a corresponding manner, supply cables, for example, electrical cables.

Another supply line arrangement is illustrated in FIGS. l2 and 13. In this arrangement, two pipe lines 61 and 62 are movably connected with each other through joint 63, in a scissor fashion. The pressure medium required for the drive, for example compressed air, is fed through pipes 61 and 62. The required electrical cable can be secured to pipes 61 and 62. As, in this design of the power cable or conduit feed, the travel of the machine is limited, that is, with a pipe-scissor arrangement, it is possible to move only from one taphole to an adjacent taphole, two scissors are necessary for more than two tapholes 7 in the furnace. The second pipe scissors comprise, in a manner simil-ar to the -rst pipe scissors, two movably connected pipe parts 64 and 65. The two pipe scissors 61, 62 and 64, 65 respectively, are attached to the existing steel structure at 66 and 67.

As may be seen from FIG. 13, the first pipe scissors 61, 62 assumes, for example, when plugging the outer taphole 7 by means of the plugging gun, shown by the dash-dot lines, a folded position, as illustrated in dashed lines. If, on the other hand, the center taphole is being plugged, the iirst pipe scissors are in an extreme stretchedout position. The plugging of the other outer taphole then requires the second pipe scissors 64, 65, which, in this plugging position, again assumes a folded position. The necessary replugging of the pipe scissors at the machine is achieved in a simple manner by use of breakway couplings and electrical connectors.

As shown schematically in FIGS. 14 and 15, the cornpressed air line and the electrical cables also can be suspended movably instead of using a cable drag chain or pipe scissors. In this case, compressed air hose 59, with a cable, for example, is carried by a rope 69 trained over a reversing pulley 68 and secured to a counterweight 71 which is movably supported, for vertical movement, in a guide tube 72. The power supply cables always are pulled upwardly by counterweight 71, a suflicient distance that they are not subjected to any damage through heat radiation. It is clearly visible from FIG. l5 that, when running out the arrangement into the two outer operating positions indicated by dash-dot lines, counterweight 71 can follow the movement of the supply cables through the rope 69.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail in order to illustrate the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for opening and closing the tapholes in metallurgical furnaces, such as rotatable hearth furnaces and furnaces with plural tapholes spaced apart on the outer periphery of the furnace, including rails spaced outwardly from the furnace and positioned a constant distance from the outer periphery of the furnace, a trolley movably supported on said rails, a taphole drilling machine and a. taphole plugging machine supported in side by side relationship on said trolley, wherein the improvement comprises that a drilling rod is mounted on said taphole drilling machine and a plugging gun is mounted on said taphole plugging machine with said taphole plug drilling machine and taphole plugging machine supported on said trolley so that said drilling rod and plugging gun each face toward the furnace at the same time and can be aligned With the taphole to be drilled or plugged by a slight displacement of said trolley on said rails.

2. Apparatus for opening and closing tapholes, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a centering arm is secured to at least one of said drilling machine and plugging machine, a first guide attached to the furnace at each taphole, a second guide located at each taphole and spaced from said first guide at the same taphole by a lateral distanceequal to the lateral distance between said drilling rod and plugging gun, and said centering arm is engageable with said first and second guides for locating said drilling machine and plugging machine in alignment with the taphole.

3. Apparatus for opening and closing the tapholes, as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are arranged in cooperation with said trolley for vertically adjusting said drilling machine and plugging machine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,999,640 4/ 1935 Royse 266-42 2,460,711 2/ 1949 OHare 266--42 2,747,858 5/ 1956 Miller 266-42 3,121,769 2/1964 Horn 266-42 3,459,418 8/ 1969 Ueshima et al. 266-42 3,516,651 6/1970 Honda et al. 266-42 3,549,141 12/ 1970 Zimmerman 266-42 FOREIGN PATENTS 302,305 8/ 1929 Great Britain 266-42 GERALD A. DOST, Primary Examiner 

